Fla. lawmakers weigh changing primary date

The Florida Legislature is considering a bill that would move back the date of the statewide primary election a week, from Aug. 14 to Aug. 21. The legislation (SB 7042) is scheduled to be considered at Wednesday's meeting of the Senate Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections chaired by Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, a Miami Republican.

During last spring's regular session, the Legislature switched the primary date to Aug. 14 so it wouldn't conflict with the Republican National Convention, which begins in Tampa on Aug. 27. Lawmakers will be watching the election calendar much more closely than usual this year, largely because of reapportionment. The deadline to register to vote in the primary will be 29 days before the primary, and election supervisors are responsible for issuing new voter cards to all 10-million plus voters in Florida.